An Illusion of a Democracy
by LaserFace
Summary: In the aftermath of an independent New Vegas, the New California Republic has revitalized itself under the brutal leadership of President Salazar. When William Peterson is forced to leave his somewhat comfortable home, he may have set in motion events far beyond he realized. (Thanks to sequestration13 for beta-reading)
1. Chapter 1

The sun gleamed through the cracks on the roof, hitting my face. I groaned in pain as I raised my hand to block the light. I slowly threw my blankets off and rolled off the bed. My bare feet hit the cold floor…the freezing floor.

Thank God it's Sunday, the only free day of the week. After the Fair Worker Act of 2285, we were forced (excuse me, expected) to work long hours for god-awful pay. I stood up and stretched my muscles…ugh, that feels good.

As I walked to the corner of my room, I removed my only article of clothing, my briefs. Crouching down, I pushed a large tub to the tap and turned the knob.

Clean water was ever so precious here in California. Each household was allotted a very strict water ration. Any overages were punished with a $100 fine from the government.

I watched the meter closely to make sure it didn't go over the daily limit and that I could have more water to drink for the rest of the day. After shutting off the flow, I dipped my hands in the tub and took a drink…lukewarm, no surprise, it was the norm. If I was lucky, it might be a little cold, but that was unlikely.

I grabbed my washrag and dipped it in the water. Before I began washing, however, I really needed to take a piss. I (sleepily) made my way to the toilet…which was a hole in the ground which was connected to a pipe.

I released myself and allowed my bladder to empty. I groaned in relief…I must have drank a lot last night. I must have been reliving myself for (what felt like) hours. When I was finally done, I went back to my bath.

I pulled out the rag and wrung it, the water streaming back into the tub. I raised my arms and cleaned both of my armpits, then my face, my neck, my legs, my ass; making do with what little Abraxo Cleaner was leftover from a week ago.

I hung my rag up to dry as I walked away from the corner. I grabbed my sodden briefs off the floor and threw them back on. Necessity dictated it, as I had no other pair.

I turned the dial on the broken radio. It came in, but was often interrupted by static. I wonder what was going to be on.

"—our republic must remain free for all. As America was before the war-"

I laughed, of course. Who else would it be? President Salazar.

"-our acts may be questionable. But I ask you…what government hasn't made ques-"

I walked to my broken down shelf and picked a pair of torn jeans then a T-shirt off the ground. I brought it up to my nose and smelled it "Smells clean." I said and threw it on.

"-for it is for the good of the NCR and her citizens. We will continue to stand for the Old World values of peace and democracy."

I slid on my pants, one leg at a time and zipped up.

"God bless our New California Republic. Thank you."

The national anthem blasted through the radio. I twisted the knob, turning off the radio. I made my way to the door. I felt refreshed from my wash. I pushed open the door and a wave of light greeted me. Closing the door behind me, I stepped out onto the street and looked around the community.

The streets were quiet…everyone must still be sleeping. I walked down the street to the bar for a heavy drink. I took a deep breath, taking in the fresh crisp air. Walking down the street, I looked up at a sign that cluttered up the billboard…

"REBUILD OUR REPUBLIC, NOW!" It stated in big bold letters

I chuckled to myself as I continued walking down. That was Salazar, alright. He had destroyed Kimball when he was trying to run for a reelection a few years ago, and his sign was still waving.

It wasn't hard defeating Kimball; the idiot had bankrupted us and left no money in our treasury. Off of the heels of the landslide, Salazar stepped in, fixed our economy and strengthened our military and began investing in a navy. But it soon became apparent that he had ulterior motives.

I stepped in the bar. Instantly the smell of cigarettes, booze, and vomit met my nose. I walked up, sat on the bench and ordered a shot of whiskey. I threw the money on the counter

He filled up the shot glass and placed it in front of me. "Anything going on lately?" I asked the bartender

"Ya' know the Andersons?" he asked. "They were arrested."

"Really? What for?"

"When the peacekeepers came for their kid, they put up a fight. Rick Anderson stabbed one of the peacekeepers in the neck with a screwdriver. They arrested them and no one's seen them since."

I shook my head, "Can you blame them? Since they put up that damn law, everyone's hiding their kids. If you put up a fight, they'll send you to the concentration camps."

"Yeah. I would prefer Kimball rather than Salazar…I just realized how sad that sounded when I said it out loud."

I took the shot and left the bar. Walking back out into the street, I took a deep breath. Two peacekeeper trucks drove by, full of supplies. I heard that there were protests going on in Vault City. They had to increase the number of peacekeepers in the area.

"Hey, Will. What's going on?" I heard a voice behind me

"Oh hey, David. Nothing." I responded

"Man, peacekeepers have been driving up and down the street all day. I heard they're supplying the peacekeepers in Vault City to stop the riots. You know, after Salazar declared martial law in Vault City and San Francisco."

When the NCR lost Hoover Dam, we were pushed back to California. Because we couldn't expand to the east, Kimball let us stay put and dry ourselves of resources. When Salazar took over, he expanded to the north and to the west coast.

Salazar had declared martial law in areas that were prone to rioting at the slightest provocation. Places such as Vault City and San Francisco (after the NCR expanded north) to name a couple. I couldn't blame them for rising up, however...I mean with the Fair Worker Act and other stuff…I mean…they were horrible.

"How's your kid, Matthew?" I asked, turning to him

"Good…well…good as it can get. He writes me every week and I pray for him every day."

"Good. What are you doing out so early? Didn't you work enough in the coal mines?"

David laughed, "Better than working at the oil plants!" He said, referencing my work, "No, seriously, I have to run some errands. The missus isn't doing so well, so I'm doing them for her. Wanna come with me?"

"Yeah, sure. I have nothing else to do."

We walked down the sidewalk, walking to David's destination. "You hear that they're going to lower the water allowance, again?"

"Again? Damn, it's already low. What's his excuse this time?"

"'We must preserve our natural resources that we take for granted'." David said, mocking the president

"Then why is Salazar letting the military using those pre-war gas-guzzling vehicles?"

"I don't think it matters. Only the military can use them, and you guys at the oil drills are the ones letting them use 'em."

"Well it's either work at the factories or mines or heavy labor at those damn camps. And we don't even work at the oil drills! You know that! We work where they get the oil and turn it into gas, the trucks bring the oil from Alaska!"

"Seriously! Think about it! The government must spend about thousands of dollars paying those guards, paying for the gas the trucks use to transport the prisoners, and pay for the electricity to supply those electric gates. But somehow they can't afford to give funding to schools or hospitals. I mean, damn, those camps are as big as entire cities! And no one does anything!"

"Well do you want to end up like Congress? Or Oliver and Kimball? Hell no!"

We both laughed. What happened to Kimball and Oliver had become a dark joke between citizens of the NCR. It was Salazar's first act when he became dictator…he had both Kimball and Oliver executed by firing squad. Chief Hanlon of the NCR Rangers, was promoted to general.

"Well Salazar at least managed to make our money worth something. Remember when bread used to cost hundreds of dollars at the end of Kimball's administration? And now…I don't think Salazar's administration will never end! How long has he been president? Fourteen, fifteen years?" I said

"That's because Salazar 'has a job' and that he 'needs to complete it so that our republic can become prosperous and fruitful again'!"

"Man, I still can't believe I voted for him."

"We all did, no one wanted Kimball again. Because 'no one wants to rebuild' and 'we know what it takes to make the NCR whole, again'."

"You know, I have to say. You do a pretty good impression of him."

David laughed, "Thanks. You kind of have to have it come from the lower part of your throat and you need to sound patriotic all the time."

We both laughed again. Salazar always had to make these hammy speeches and talk about the NCR as if it were a religion. It had become humorously bad when he had to make his speech about the Military Strengthening Act of 2288, where Salazar had to make an 'inspirational' speech in front of a crowd of booing and cursing NCR citizens.

"God bless our New California Republic!" He had said, as he always said at the end of his speeches

The Military Strengthening Act was to…well…strengthen the military. It gave the army outrageous funding and began drafting. It also began to invest in a navy. A part of this act was to scour Brotherhood of Steel bunkers and take any technology and use them in the army.

Well…that was half of it. The drafting part was…disgusting…

When kids received a basic education (and I'm using the word "basic" loosely) and they turn fourteen they're forced into the military. Stealing them from their families and sending them to training to the east…it was monstrous.

Salazar states that it's all to "strengthen our republic"…bullshit.

That's where David's son is now, Matthew, he was sixteen and just finished training. He was now going to be sent to the east border of the NCR. "I mean, hell, how much money did we waste in the Mojave!? At least Salazar wants to take things slowly." David expressed

"Well, wasn't Salazar an NCR Ranger? He was at the first battle for Hoover Dam, right? I would think he would want to take Hoover Dam back. Especially after New Vegas became independent and kicked our ass and the Legion's?"

"Salazar put a significant bounty on the courier that made New Vegas independent! Maybe we should go to New Vegas, huh?"

"I don't see how. The Long 15 was blown sky high, how would we get there?"

"I'm pretty sure there's some trade route they use that they're not telling us. We could just hide in some oil barrels and get on one of the caravans!"

We both laughed again, that idea was so stupidly hilarious. "Yeah, I'm sure that would work well!"

"Oh, alright, here we are. Come on."

We both entered the small convenience store. Its shelves were stocked with Nuka Cola, Sunset Sarsaparilla from the Mojave, Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, cans of Pork N' Beans, and many other goodies. David grabbed a basket and began walking up and down the halls, collecting his groceries.

"You know Beckham, vice president? Heard he attacked at Redding. Peacekeepers shot into the crowd instantly."

"Where do you find out all these things?"

"I know people. Want a Nuka?" He offered

"Sure."

David grabbed two Nuka Colas and placed them in the basket. Checking the list, David shopped with ruthless efficiency and after five minutes, he had everything on his list in his basket. After checking it out and paying the amount, we both stepped outside. "I gotta dump this stuff at home. Come with me and we'll do whatever when I'm done."

He handed me one of the two bags, "Help me out, will you?"

I grabbed the bag he extended to me and we walked back to his house, down the street a ways. We walked down the sidewalk, then David whispered, "Peacekeeper alert."

The peacekeeper walked down the sidewalk, towards them. He was wearing the typical NCR army combat armor; only difference was that the main armor piece was pitch black with large white bolded words on the back, "PEACEKEEPER"

Their typical equipment was a Cattle Prod, which they held in their hand, and a Service Rifle on their backs, which they used for heavy firing, and they also had a 10 millimeter pistol on their belts. "You two! Show me your NCR Citizen IDs!"

We both reached for our wallets simultaneously and showed our IDs. The peacekeeper looked at them each for a few seconds. "Continue." He finally said, "You shouldn't be out this early."

We both placed our wallets back in our pockets and continued on down the street. More peacekeeper trucks drove down the street. "Damn, these trucks are just going up and down! How many reinforcements do they need?"

We walked by my house…or shack, whatever. I noticed the small pile of letters on the doorstep. "Wait a second, man. Lemme check my mail really fast."

We both placed our bags down and ran to my letters. I picked it up and began to sift through them, reading them one by one.

Bill, junk mail, junk mail, bill, bill, junk mail…letter from the NCR government.


	2. Chapter 2

I tightened the bolt. Looking at the clear pipe, I examined it as it went through different machinery. I turned to the glass and gave the main engineer thumbs up. He nodded in acknowledgement, and began to push buttons and levers.

Instantly, the black liquid began rushing through the pipes, one of our most powerful substances in the NCR…oil. Oil and coal is what our economy so strong, after the NCR got nothing but irradiated gold depots after our war with the Brotherhood of Steel. After we found large oil in Alaska and coal depots here in California, Salazar passed an act using them for our trade, and therefore our currency, on those resources. So, jobs on oil rigs, drills and coal mines were in huge demand.

The oil would be made into gas and then poured into barrels, and those barrels would be loaded onto the trucks. The trucks would be separated, some would go to the government for gas for their trucks, and the other trucks would be set on caravans for trading.

I wiped the sweat off my face and checked myself out with my workers card; I was done for the day. I walked out the front doors to the large courtyard. In front of the large gate stood a peacekeeper who was supposed to check our IDs when we entered and leave.

But it was the same peacekeeper every single day, Jonas, so he knew all of us. I just simply walked out the front gate, nodding as I passed him. "See you tomorrow."

"You too."

I walked my way to home, as the sun was setting. I placed my hands in the pockets of my jeans and walked into my house. Walking into my house, the musty smell met my nose. I took off my work clothes and threw on some causal wear, a T-shirt and some sweats.

I twisted the dial on the radio, which turned it on the only radio station. The national anthem of the NCR played as I laid on my bed. I looked at the stars through the cracks on the roof. My hand drifted to the counter next to my bed.

Grabbing the letter, I looked at it closely...yeah…it was from the NCR government. It had the official stamp, the two headed bear, and that was my name…

**William Peterson:**

**3143 Green Drive**

**NCR GOVERNMENT: OPEN ASAP**

My hands opened the already open envelop. I reached inside and pulled out the letter I read so many times before…

** YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC!**

** WILLIAM PETERSON, YOU HAVE BEEN DRAFTED TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY OF THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC! THIS IS A GREAT HONOR TO FIGHT BRAVELY FOR OUR GREAT REPUBLIC AND NOW YOU MAY!**

** FIGHT WITH HONOR FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR NATION! SO THAT WE MAY CONTINUE OUR VALUES OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW TO OUR OFFSPRING AND THEY CAN CONTINUE IT TO THEIR OFFSPRING. **

** REPORT TO OUR DRAFTING OFFICE SO THAT YOU MAY GO AND FIGHT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONOR AND BRAVERY FOR FIGHTING FOR THE NCR!**

** GOD BLESS OUR NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC!**

God…looking at these papers pissed me off. After everything they did to me…to _us_. They want me to go out and die so the government can get richer.

Don't get me wrong…I understand that we _need _an army. The wasteland is unpredictable, and any civilized society needs something to protect it…especially something the size of the NCR. But no, after everything they put us through, the lies, the acts…no.

They gave you a few days to respond, to go to the drafting office. Today was Friday, so my guess is that they would give me until the end of the weekend…

_"-the people are strong. The government is strong. The New California Republic…is strong. Our republic rose from the ashes, from the wastes of-" _

I recognized the subtle southern accent from anywhere, Vice-President Richard Beckham. He became vice-president after Salazar's last vice, Jonathon Pendleton, was executed due to "conspiracy against the president and the New California Republic".

_"-under our wise leadership from President Tandi, we expanded and grew."_

I fluffed up my pillow and stuffed my face in it. I was tired, more tired than usual. I gave a yawn and closed my eyes…

_"Then came the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Our brave men and women fought hard and honorably against the savagery of Caesar's Legion and against the rebels of New Vegas. Sadly, our republic had lost the battle due to the acts of terror and brutality that our enemies, those who claimed that they were fighting for the 'independence' of New Vegas, had inflected against our army-"_

A knock on the door, I opened my eyes and got on my feet, probably David or someone to annoy me about something.

_"God bless our New California Republic."_

I walked to the door. I yawned again, man, I almost feel asleep too. Someone better be dead or something…maybe I shouldn't say that.

My hand extended to the lock on the knob. I turned it, unlocking it and opened the door. David stepped in and without warning wrapped his hands around me and began sobbing, "Peacekeepers…those goddamn peacekeepers!" He cried

My heart sank, "David. What happened? What happened with the peacekeepers?!"

"Ma…ma…" He sobbed, choking up, "Mat…Matthew…he's dead. He died…kid stepped in a mine. He's dead…oh god…"

I patted his back, "It's alright. It's alright. Hey, everything's going to be fine. You'll move on. You still have your wife…"

He sobbed harder, "No…she went crazy. Ballistic. Blamed the government and the peacekeepers for everything…She grabbed a knife, ran outside and attacked the first peacekeeper she saw…he shot her on sight. Shot her in the head, I chased her…I tried to stop her…her dead body's still on the sidewalk…"

I hung my head, "I'm…I'm so sorry…I can't…I…It's different for each person."

He finally dried up and began snuffling, "I…I don't want to be intrusive, but…would you mind if I spent the night…I can't…I won't be able to go back to that hou-"

"Of course you can, man. You were there for me when I needed you, and I'm determined to return the favor…I don't have much but…what's mine is yours."

I shot out of my bed…covered in sweat and tears rolling down my cheeks…it was a dream. I laid there, shaking uncontrollably. The radio was playing the national anthem again, with the loud trumpets and horns, with the beating drums and the singing choir.

That's what I needed…my baby. I rolled off my bed and got on the floor, reaching blindly under my bed until I grabbed it…my baby. I pulled the bottle out and took off the cap…

Instantly, the heavenly smell of scotch met my nose. I brought my hand (which I was forcing to stay still) and brought the alcohol to my lips and began taking a few chugs…ah…there we go…much better…

I wiped the scotch from my lips and hid my bottle under the bed; private alcohol ownership was illegal, although there was really no way to enforce it.

I looked down at the letter again…don't get me wrong. Salazar fixed our economy and the Fair Worker Act made it so that women and ghouls get equal wage as regular men, so I respect him in that regard.

But…I couldn't…not after…everything that happened. If I refused, they would send me to their damn concentration camps for heavy labor…but I didn't care.

I looked towards the door…I knew I was simply being paranoid…but any second I expected some peacekeepers to bust through and arrest me or something…maybe it was because I knew what I was about to do…

I threw my duffel bag on my bed and unzipped it. I picked up the several shirts and pants that were scattered over the floor and stuffed them in. I got on my knees and picked up the broken floorboard as well, revealing my small stash of money.

I held it in my hand and counted it quickly…five hundred thirty seven…that'll hold me for a while. I threw the stack (held together by a rubber band) in the bag. I walked to the other side of the room and grabbed my three canteens.

I filled them up sloppily and quickly. After filling them all up, I threw the straps over my shoulder. My trench coat hung on the coat rack, which I threw on, it cost me three months of wage to buy this.

I grabbed a simple cutting knife and placed it in my belt…that would be the only weapon I have for now…

David would probably come looking for me, eventually…and I would be gone. I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a quick note on it. I sighed deeply…I was overreacting…I knew it…but I really didn't care.

I grabbed my duffel bag; I would have to stick to the backstreets, as the peacekeepers patrolled the main streets. I looked around for anything else I may need, I had water, food, clothes and…I think that's all I need.

It was disgusting…I could imagine a fourteen year old getting this letter, telling them to go and die for that "we may continue our values of democracy and the rule of law". I could imagine poor Matthew, being pried from David and his mother.

If the NCR wants me to fight…they better find me because I REFUSE to. I refuse to fight for an evil and corrupt government. I refuse to fight for a president that's broken the constitution countless times. I refuse to fight because I…I don't…I can't…

I threw on my duffel bag and walked out of the front door. The sun had set; it was dark so now I can slink under the cover of night. Only thing I was worried about was that peacekeepers patrol more at night then at day.

I walked a few steps out of front door and looked around. They were empty, the only vehicles that drove were peacekeeper trucks, so if I heard any car or truck, I would head for cover.

I closed my front door and walked to the sidewalk, in front of my dead lawn. Looking up and down the street, I saw no peacekeepers. I took a deep breath and held both of my hands under my armpits, shielding them from the cold.

I took a deep sigh, and walked into the darkness…

* * *

I hoped you all enjoyed the first two chapters of my first Fallout story. This was an idea I had for a long time and I'm SO excited to share with you all! Thank you all for reading!

Any reviews will be greatly appreciated.

-LaserFace :)


	3. Chapter 3

I gradually opened my eyes. I shifted in my bed and looked up at my roof. It was that obnoxious beige color that Lisa wanted. I wrapped my arm around her, lying in our bed. The light was gleaming in through the cracks from the curtains.

It was almost time to get ready for the day. I slid my arm away from her and placed both of my hands under my head. I got up and placed both of my feet on the floor, standing up, I rubbed my eyes. I walked towards my bathroom and flicked on the light.

Ah…the light scorched my eyes. I observed at myself in the mirror. I looked closely at my face. My brown skin, my dark brown eyes with dark circles, my beard and slicked back hair as dark as the night. I slipped off my briefs.

I took a shower last night, so I was good right now. I threw my old briefs in the hamper and threw on a new pair. I threw on a tanktop and a buttoned shirt and pants. I tightened my tie and threw on my coat, so now my suit was complete.

I straightened my tie. I walked out of the bathroom, where Lisa was sitting on the bed, waking up. I smiled. I remembered when we were still thoughtless teenagers when we hid away to kiss and do…_other _things.

She turned to me and got up, "Hey."

"Hey." I responded and leaned in for a kiss

She delivered as our lips met, "Alright, I have a meeting right now. See you."

"Alright, bye."

I walked out of my bedroom door and into the hallway. I walked down the hallway to my meeting room with my cabinet. Entering the room, I stood at the head of the table, with my cabinet waiting for me. I cleared my throat and I began, "Any news today, everyone?"

I looked up at my cabinet, full of men, women and ghouls of different colors, shapes and sizes. I liked diversity, it allowed me to see every benefit for the different people of the NCR, "We have to restore the peace in Vault City, where they're still rioting." One of my advisors, a ghoul named Logan said

"Increase the number of peacekeepers."

"We've already done that five times." Another advisor said

"Do it again. Anything else?"

"The rebels are on the move again. They're gaining quite a large following in San Francisco. What do we do?"

I shook my head, these damn insurgents still don't understand. How we can reconstruct the NCR…return it to its anterior glory. "Show them…show them that the more they grow, the more the people suffer. The more the people are preyed upon."

The rebels were really power hungry liars that were hell-bent on toppling our government and the acts that are renovating the NCR. When I was done with my job, rebuilding the NCR, I would get rid of the acts.

That's what they didn't comprehend…that these acts and laws helped and rebuilt the NCR.

"We're having some trouble contacting Crimson Caravans. Those robots from New Vegas keep destroying our caravans."

"Make sure that we have more soldiers with those caravans. And make sure that we send a good message to that courier son of a bitch. Is that all?"

The entire room was quiet, good. "Alright, good. I'll be in my office."

I strolled to my office. The smell of bleach met my nose as I sat down. A knock on the door, Logan popped his head in, "President Salazar? I was wondering if you were passing your new taxing act."

"Yes. I'm lowering taxes for all the classes. Poor, middle, and rich."

Logan closed the door as he entered, "Are…are you sure that's wise? I mean…taxes is what help us grow because they give us money. Taxes are already at an all-time low."

I shook my head, "I even said it in my election. Taxes aren't the way to go, we must cut unnecessary waste."

I wrote down some personal notes to myself on a piece of paper. "Where's Beckham? I thought he was supposed to go to Pendleton, near Navarro."

"Uh…from what I've heard, he's running late after the attack in Redding."

"Right! What happened with that?"

"Well, someone in the crowd threw a rock at him. He went to the hospital for some quick treatment, he was fine."

"Good. So Beckham will travel down to San Francisco, New Reno, Mariposa, and all the way down into the areas we've expanded into Mexico?"

"That is correct, yes. And he'll try to get to New Vegas if possible and meet with that courier to see if we could discuss a deal about trading."

"Why are we meeting to his demands? We're the bigger and more powerful nation! Just because those dumbasses Kimball and Oliver lost us the dam, doesn't mean that he's all high and mighty! They haven't seen the full strength of the NCR!"

"I'm pretty sure that they have, sir. Reports are that they're building their…' Securitrons' at a remarkable rate, they're most likely threatened by our growing military and expansion…one of their demands is more… 'democratic' options in the NCR."

I opened my mouth and closed it, "What? What?...What? What the hell does that mean? More democratic option?"

"They feel that we are suppressing the people…"

"You know what? Screw it. We'll deal with this later. And the Legion? After Caesar died of his…what was it? A brain tumor, if I'm correct."

"Uh…yes, that's what it shows. And his legate, Lanius, is now their leader. He's far more brutal that Caesar was, but he's changing the Legion, and its growing fast."

"He's changing it? How so?"

"Well…for one, he's allowing women to serve now. And he's lifted the ban on certain chems, so now they're using Med-X and Stimpacks for healing. And they've been using more conventional weapons now, more bullets and such."

"Hm…thank you, Logan. You can leave."

"Yes, Mr. President." Logan said and left the room

I looked down and kept writing on my paper. I'm happy to see the world advancing at a remarkable pace…and the NCR is advancing as well.

For one, our military is growing at an incredible rate. We're using more advanced technology such as laser and plasma weaponry and new power armor that we've got from Brotherhood of Steel bunkers. We've been expanding to the north and south and our economy is as robust as ever.

My job wasn't done yet…I had many more ideas for the future of the NCR…

God bless our New California Republic… 


	4. Chapter 4

As I walked down the sidewalk, leaves crunching under my feet as I stepped on them, I felt…an odd feeling. A mixture of fear and apprehension but…with a mix of freedom. It was cold, even with my coat on. A gust of wind hit me.

No peacekeepers in sight. If they saw me there was no doubt they would stop me and demand to see my bag. Then they would look at my NCR Citizen ID, and then they would check me out on their computers to see if I had a prior record. They would see that I had been drafted and force me into the military…or the concentration camps.

Walking past old and broken down homes, another feeling came across me…then a sound…engines…

Instantly, I jumped behind a bush. The sound got louder and louder, a peacekeeper Humvee drove by followed by a limo and then a second Humvee. Whoever it must have been must have been pretty important in the NCR government.

I made sure they turned the corner down the street before I dared even take a step out. Looking down the empty street, I continued my walk. Damn drafts…damn NCR. What the hell is wrong with them? Who in their right mind would do that?

My knife was the only weapon I had…the only mean of defense I had, besides my fists. I reached inside my coat and took out my pack of cigarettes. Taking an individual one out, I placed it in my mouth and lit it.

Taking a drag, the warmth went throughout my body. Where was I to go? I had no idea where I could go. I could leave the NCR and go to Vegas, or I could go downward into Mexico, out of NCR territory. I had given no thought to this idea…

I was approaching town hall, I better take a detour, as there are always peacekeepers at town hall. Pendleton wasn't a bad place, helluva lot better than some towns in the NCR. We were near Navarro, a former Enclave base, and it was renovated into an NCR base and docks.

I went down one of the side streets, making sure that I would avoid any peacekeepers, "You there! Stop!"…I had to open my mouth

I turned to the peacekeeper, who motioned that I come to him. I walked down the street to the corner where the peacekeeper was waiting. I walked up to him, "What are you doing up this late? What's the deal with the bag? Sit down!"

I sat down on the corner, and took my bag off my shoulder. I looked my way to the town hall, where that convoy had stopped and were unloading. "What's going on over there?" I asked

The peacekeeper began to fumble with the zipper, "Beckham is coming over here for the night."

"Beckham? The vice president?"

"What other Beckham is out there?"

He zipped down the zipper and began fumbling through the bag, throwing my clothes all over. "What are you doing with this?"

"I'm going to a sleepover." I responded, sarcastically

"Wiseass, eh?" He asked, zipping back up my bag, "Show me you NCR Citizen ID!"

The words I was fearing the most. Reluctantly, I pulled it out of my wallet and handed it to him. He snatched it and looked at it, he reached for his belt and brought out his device that read the ID. It scanned the bar code and gave them any information the government had on us.

He scanned it quickly, and waited a few seconds for it to load. His eyes scanned the device back and forth…and then his eyes widened. I panicked as I jumped up.

He threw the device aside and took out his cattle prod. "You deserting sonovabitch!" He cursed and swung

I jumped to the side and delivered a quick punch to the jaw, stunning him. Then I grabbed his shoulder and brought him closer to me. I jumped and sent my knee to his crotch. Usually the peacekeepers and military are equipped with a jockstrap that had a metallic material over the privates to use as a secondary use as a cup…luckily this guy wasn't wearing his today.

His eyes widened as all the air left his stomach. I freaked, it only took a yell to get the peacekeepers down the street to run my way. In a swift motion I pulled out my knife and stabbed him the troat, killing him instantly.

My hands shook wildly as I threw him over the railing on the street into the forest. I shakily grabbed the duffle bag and began sprinting down the street as fast as possible. I looked behind me…oh my god…I just killed someone.

They'll find him…and they'll find me somehow and connect the two. Then they'll throw me in jail with the rest of the murders and then they'll rape me and then they'll round us all up and have us executed by a firing squad, oh god.

No, no, shut up Will, shut up. Stop thinking about it, shut up Will! They won't find the body. They won't connect it to me. They won't send me to jail. They won't rape me. They won't execute me.

"STOP!"

I was tackled to the ground. I struggled to get up and fight the perpetrator. A punch met my face and knocked my head against the cement. The man got up and placed his boot on my chest, "Why are you out after curfew? What the hell is with the bag?"

He didn't ask about any dead body, so good. "Get the hell of me!" I barked

My vision finally cleared on the peacekeeper who was pointing his gun on me, "You don't order me, boy! What the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing! Damn! Get off me!"

"Roll over!"

I did as I was told as he placed handcuffs on me. "You be a good boy and sit up."

Again, I did as I was told and was sitting on the pavement. He checked my pockets and pulled out my wallet, "Hey!"

He looked through it and took out my ID and threw the wallet at me. "You bastard! What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"I saw a man, after curfew and with a suspicious duffel bag, running a marathon. It looked like you just killed a man or something!"

My stomach churned as he placed my ID and the device on the street and began searching through my duffel bag like before. "What are you doing with this? No illegal substances, just clothes and money. Did you just sell some Med-X to some teens or something?"

I stood quiet, this was it, I was screwed. They would find out I was drafted and that I tried to run…"No" I answered, meekly

He searched me for any weapons and then grabbed my ID and the device off the street. My heart sunk to my stomach as he scanned it and looked at it, "Oh…traitor, eh? No wonder you're running."

"Fuck you!" I blurted out, "I'm not fighting! Risking my life out there for you lying bastards! Go to hell!"

He slammed his boot into my face, allowing the back of my skull to smack against the sidewalk. I groaned in pain, as I just laid there in pain.

He just smiled at me, "Well…we have a choice for you. You can either, A: Forced into joining the military, B: Go to prison, or C: Go do some heavy labor at those camps. Pick your poison."

I just stood quiet, still in pain. "Take me…take me to your damn camps! I ain't fighting for you and I'm not going to jail!"

The peacekeeper simply chuckled and reported something on his radio. Tears were freely streaming from my face…I…I just gave everything up. My life, my job, all to work in those camps for the rest of my life.

I groaned in pain more…god…my entire face hurt. I felt his gruff hands on me, pulling me up. He told me something, but I couldn't hear him. I tasted blood in my mouth and I had a major headache. "Damn peacekeepers." I choked out

"Get up!" He barked

I tried to but I fell and hit the floor again…my vision blurred…

It all went black…

* * *

And here is the fourth chapter :). I wanted to thank y'all who took the time to read all of this, I know I'm not the greatest author, but I try.

**MENTIONS:**

Thanks to JosueBa, who gave me my first review, now when I first read his comment, "Ha! So many spelling errors! I was about to fix them when I accidentally pressed post review smh its so hard to write on my smart phone! XD", I thought he meant that my story had a lot of spelling mistakes!

I read the first two chapters through and through and I couldn't find anything! Then I looked back and realized he meant his first comment! XD

And more thanks to my first favorite/follow from theawesomepyramid! Thank you so much. Next chapter is up next Saturday!

-LaserFace =)


	5. Chapter 5

I slowly opened my eyes. My entire body was in pain. I looked around and wiped some of the "eye boogers" as my mom used to call them. I groaned and looked out the window as my vision cleared. I tried to lift my arms to stretch, but a heavy resistance stopped that. I looked down, only to realize that my hands were handcuffed to the metal bar on the seat in between my legs.

I looked back outside. The windows had morning dew on it, slowly building up. The skies were gray and dark. It must be six or seven in the morning, I surmised. Looking out the window, I saw nothing but barren land, crusty and dry, stretching as far as the eye could see. Panic rose in my chest as I tried to contemplate how far I was from the nearest city. The bus shook a little and hit some potholes, causing the bus to jump. I looked to the front of the bus, where the gate was. A peacekeeper stood at attention with his rifle ready, and the bus driver simply drove on by. His expression did not change as the dust cloud covered his uniform.

I looked to my left, to the other seat on the other side of the bus. No one sat there. I straightened my back so that I could look over the seat in front of me. Nobody there either. There were about four people in front of me by a few seats.

I sat back down. "Psst. Hey, hey." I heard a voice, low, gravely and gravelly. It came from the seat behind me, "What?" I whispered back

"Good. You're awake. Listen, you and me, let's stick together. I-I've heard rumors. They'll make you work all day and night. And if you show weakness, I hear the other workers grab you and put you in the sex trade."

"W-who are you?"

"I'm Roger, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you t-"

The bus came to a screeching halt and the door opened as two more peacekeepers entered. One of them barked "Wake up!" to those who were enjoying a last bit of respite.

They made their way down the bus, unlocking the handcuffs. When they finally came to me and unlocked my cuffs, they made me stand up and proceeded to march me out of the bus and into the freezing cold.

I looked behind me to see Roger, who turned out to be a ghoul. "Let's move!" shouted the guard.

They moved us in an organized line, making us march into an office. There they took pictures, fingerprints, and blood samples. Then they had us line up in organized lines, in alphabetical order.

Beyond the gate was a courtyard, but its scope I couldn't even see the gate on the other side of the courtyard. It literally must have been miles. Seated in random locations were small bricked buildings with wooden roofs.

In front of us stood a hulking individual. By my estimation, he was six foot five at least. "Alright!" He barked, "You're all here for one reason. You betrayed the trust the NCR has placed in you, and for that you must pay in heavy labor…for the rest of your lives."

He spit on the floor and began to pace back and forth, "You can just call me the Warden. Now, let me show you what you will be doing for the rest of your miserable lives."

He picked up a pickaxe that was on the floor. "Pick up the pickaxe, break the stone, place it in the wheelbarrow, and wheel it over to those yellow buildings. There are two bells, one in the morning to wake up, and another to get to sleep. There is a curfew, twelve o' clock, if you are seen out at twelve-thirty or over, you will be shot on sight."

He threw the pickaxe back on the floor and walked away. Another guard took his place, "Follow me. You'll be brought to the showers where we'll search you and give you your uniforms."

I looked to my right, as I was the one on the far left. The five us followed the soldiers to the showers within a gigantic two story facility.

The showers were black as night. After turning out the lights, we were split into two groups. Each prisoner was brought to a different set of stalls. I was sent with two soldiers.

Entering a stall, I looked towards the soldiers that were standing outside the stall. One soldier whispered to the other and walked away, "Strip down!" the guard barked.

I hesitated a little as the guard stripped off his shooting gloves and placed on some latex medical ones instead. He took off his hat, revealing his black hair. He looked at me, still fully clothed, "Hurry up. Or do I need to get my cattle prod?"

I slowly stripped down naked, the entire time stealing nervous glances at the guards. The soldier grabbed his flashlight and walked up to me, "Open your mouth."

I did as I was told and he shined the light in my mouth, then my nostrils, and then turned it off. "Just checking for any contraband. . . Alright, turn around and put your hands on the wall."

I did as I was told, again. He whispered in my ear, "Just to let you know…this is as awkward for me as it is for you." I didn't believe him one bit.

After he was done with checking my body for any contraband, he pulled off both of his gloves. "Can I get dressed now?" I asked

He shook his head no as the other solider came into my view with a hose in hand. Instantly, he sprayed me with freezing water. When the stream finally died, I was shivering uncontrollably and goosebumps covered by body.

The guards threw a towel at me and I dried myself off and began to put on my clothes. After I covered my nakedness, they brought me out of the showers.

We walked down the courtyard some and they brought me to a certain room and bunk. After they assigned me the room and bunk and signed the papers, they threw me a pickaxe and walked out, leaving me to myself.

I looked behind me at my new bed. The mattress was…just that, a mattress. It was dirty and soiled. Several cracks of light were pouring through the roof. I held my pickaxe in my hands…

I turned to the door as it opened, as that ghoul, Roger, entered and closed the door behind him. "It's you…from the bus."

He nodded his head, "That's right." He looked around, "Good, we have the same room. Now, as I said, we have to stick together."

"Who are you even? Why would I stick together with you?"

He shook his head, "It doesn't matter if you want to or not. Right now, we have to watch each other's backs. I told you earlier, they take the weakest one and throw him around, then they make him a prostitute."

I opened my mouth to speak, and then just shut it, "What…what do we do?"

"Right now, we will just work." He said simply and walked out

I followed after him. Walking outside, I felt a light drizzle touch my forehead as I stepped on the earth. I looked around at the large expanse of land. I looked to my left to a small stone depot. I wheeled the wheelbarrow nearby.

I began to pick up the stones and throw it in the wheelbarrow. As I continued to do this, I continued to think. Think about the situation I'm in, think of the NCR, think of President Salazar.

Ugh, Salazar, Salazar, Salazar. We voted for you because you were smart, you bragged about all your fancy diplomas. You said you were a financial expert, which you are, and you know how to handle money. Yes, taxes are at an all-time low. The economy has flourished in your administration and now both the economy and trade are booming within the NCR. The military is as strong as ever, they cannot be bested. The NCR is just all around a stronger union, thanks to you...

But...that doesn't excuse the...revolting things you do. You are a god-awful person. You force us to work for peanuts and long hours. You send off kids to military 'service'. And anyone who opposes your wishes ends up either in a concentration camp like this or left dead. You execute people left and right, you killed Kimball and Oliver and all of Congress...the cons outweigh the pros...although there are many who disagree...

I slammed the pickaxe down on the stone again…today was going to be a long day. My muscles were already aching as I lifted up my pickaxe and slammed it down. In a few months I would have lost a ton of weight and gained tons of muscle…so I guess that was an upside of being in this hellhole…

Ugh…I should of just waited til' the next day to run off. I wonder if David found my note yet…I wonder if he realizes where I am…

Probably. As David always said, he knows people.


	6. Chapter 6

I wearily made my way to my room. The bell had just rang, alerting us to get back to our bunkers. I walked with my pickaxe back to my bunker. Each step felt as though there were fifty pound weights on my feet. I finally made my way to the front door and pushed it open.

Looking up, I saw three people. One was Roger and two more men who I didn't know. They were all sitting at a table, lit only by a small candle. "Sit down." One of the men said, motioning for the empty chair

I did as I was told and sat on the wooden chair, it squeaked as I sat on it. In front of me was (I guess) my dinner. I looked up at the two men…I guess I was right, being here for months DID build muscle…they were built like tanks!

"So…you must be the new guy." One said to me, with red hair and a beard

"Yeah…I guess." I responded

I grabbed my fork and dug into my…food (loosest interpretation of the word ever). I brought it up to my mouth and placed it in. Chewing it…it first tasted…rubbery…like I was chewing gum or something. But eventually I broke it down and then the flavor came in…it was…sweet…too sweet. Then it became…bitter and then spicy…what the hell was I eating?

"Are you enjoying your spaghetti?" The other one asked

"This…is spaghetti?" I asked

He nodded as he brought a forkful up to his mouth. "Do they actually serve anything good here?"

The red haired man burst out laughing and then spoke, "Well…actually the corn bread is pretty good."

I looked down at my spaghetti. I was starved but…I didn't want to eat any more of this crap. But I swallowed it down and brought in another forkful. "So…what are you here for, new guy?" The other man asked, an Asian man who sported a tattoos all over his arms and face and basically everywhere that his tank top wasn't covering

"I deserted." I told him, "No way in hell am I fighting for the same government that does all…_this."_

"Amen." The red haired man said, mouth stuffed full of food

"What are you in here for?" I asked

Roger combed his fingers through the little bit of hair he had left, "Theft." He stated, "I was caught stealing money from the city's treasury."

"Why would you do that?" The tattooed man asked

"Duh. To get more money!" Roger responded

Then the red haired man spoke next, "I stabbed a peacekeeper in the neck." He said calmly, as though he didn't feel a bit of remorse about it

I looked up, "Wait…did…did you live in a city called 'Pendleton'?"

He nodded, "Yeah…near Navarro."

"You're…Rick Anderson? Right?" I asked, remembering the story the bartender told me

He nodded, "Right. That's me. Damn peacekeepers tried to take my kid away. I wasn't letting them take him without a fight. I guess word spread around Pendleton?"

I nodded, "Yep. That's right."

"Well," The tattooed man began, "I was caught smuggling in drugs and weapons to the rebels."

"Rebels?" I asked, I knew there were obviously rebellions against the NCR…but I didn't think they would be that powerful to purchase weapons.

He nodded, "Yep. Pretty huge shipment too, tons of cash. Those rebels up near Navarro, actually, are…I think, the most organized revolt yet. They have a small army and already chose a president. I don't think they can take on all of the NCR at this stage, however. They call themselves the 'California' something…name's Wang, by the way."

After eating the…substance. We simply put the dishes in a stack on the table and lay on our bunks, as Wang turned on the radio. After a few seconds of static, a voice finally came through, it wasn't Salazar or Beckham giving more speeches however. It was a female, reporting on the events of the day.

The food just felt like a gigantic glob in my stomach, as though even my stomach couldn't digest it. My muscles were so sore. Ugh…my eyelids were so heavy.

When my eyelids began to open, it was to the sound of a bell. I stretched in my bed and looked over to the other bunk, where both Rick and Wang were getting up. Ugh, I must have fallen asleep. I slowly made my way to my feet and got up.

The wooden floor creaked with every step I took towards the door. I softly pushed open the door. A blinding flash of light hit my eyes. I wearily made my way for the wheelbarrow and grabbed the wooden handles. I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was the Asian man. "Alright, get the wheelbarrow and follow me. I'll break apart the stone and you'll wheel it over to the plant." He said, although a small part felt like he was ordering me

I followed him to a small depot. He began to break apart the stone and I grabbed the stone and threw it in the wheelbarrow. Looking at him slamming down the pickaxe, I realized I was right, working at this job _would _build some muscle, he was ripped.

As he slammed down the pickaxe, I saw the veins in his arm muscles and his neck. His abdomen muscles bulged through his sweat covered tank top. I looked at his different tattoos covering his arms and neck, different tattoos of Asian text, skulls, flames, barbed wire, and other objects. It looked as though his arms and neck were a coloring book.

"So…what are the tattoos on your body for?" I asked him

He stopped and placed the pickaxe down. He grabbed the bottom of his tank top and brought it up to his face, wiping the sweat. Revealing his tattooed stomach and chest. He held the tank top underneath his chin and pointed to some text on one of his stomach muscles. "This is a Chinese proverb," He pronounced the text in the Chinese language, "it translates out to _'Careful with others is a must have'. _Or more simply, 'be careful'."

He chuckled, "I guess I should have followed that advice…" He stated, then his voice turned bitter and disturbing, "…before I found out…never mind."

He then pointed up to another muscle to the left of this chest, again, he articulated it in the traditional language, "'The_ Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead'. _That means the newer generation can inspire the older generation."

"Why'd you get that one?"

"That's what my grandfather always told me when I was a child…I always remembered that."

He pulled down his tank top and pointed to more text on his right muscular arm. For the third time, he voiced it in its native language, "And this one says, _'If the wind comes from an empty cave, it's not without a reason'_. So this one's probably the most self-explanatory, everything has a cause."

"And that's it?" I asked him

He shook his head, he turned around and revealed his brawny back, where three more texts were. He reached to the one to the top right, "_'Try to save the dead horse as if it is still alive'_. Nothing is impossible." He pointed to the one on the top left, "_'When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter'_. When a leader falls or fails, his followers leave."

And then he finally pointed to the last one on the center of his back, "'_Not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also'_. People, the water, can raise a person, the boat, to power. But they can also make that person, the boat, sink."

He then turned around and pulled up his tank top again and showed off his arms again, "And the rest is random crap that I got when I was younger cuz' I thought it looked cool."

"Hey! You two!" A yell shattered our conversation as we turned to see a guard about twenty feet away, "Stop being…_weird_."

He pulled down his tank top, and only then I realized how awkward it must have seemed to anyone looking at us. Wang continued to break apart the rocks and I continued to pick them up and throw it in the wheelbarrow.

When it was finally done, I ran to dump off the stone. On my way back, I began thinking how I would look after a couple of years, looking like one of these guys. As I got back and began to fill up the wheelbarrow, I started another conversation, "So, what happened with that gun shipment?"

Instantly a dark look came upon him, "Ugh, I really don't feel like talking about it. It was a completely fucking stupid thing for me to do…"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry. I've been here for seven years, every day makes me more and more pissed off thinking about it. I'll tell you one day, but for now just fucking do what I say,"

He shook his head and then turned to me, "Well? Whaddya doing? Get those rocks in the wheelbarrow!"

"Oh! Right! Sorry!" I apologized and began to fill up the wheelbarrow…

* * *

**Guys...I am SO SORRY for the super long wait! PLEASE forgive me!**

**I had to go through some personal issues with me and my family...It's all fine now, someone passed away :(. **

**Again, very sorry for the long wait! **


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of gunfire.

The smell…oh god, the smell. An overly sweet smell…so sweet that it makes you gag. Smells like charcoal…you could almost taste it…so nauseated…I want to vomit, vomit it all out…all of my guts out… my tongue folded against the roof of my mouth to block my gullet…the smell of burning flesh…

Caesar's Legion…the savages. Hanging people on crosses…so far gone, so tortured, so starved that the only thing they _can _do is beg for death. The legionaries…we had them surrounded…but instead of surrendering…they cut their necks…so much blood…

The blood on my hands and fingers…so sticky…

The smell of sweat, blood, gunpowder…urine and feces and testosterone was so heavy in the air. I tried so hard not to breathe...

You couldn't take one step without stepping on a dead body…or guts or blood. Blood stains covered everywhere…I could taste foreign bloods in my mouth.

I vomited off the face of that godforsaken dam. Threw up for what felt like hours…vomited up blood and whatever came out of my stomach. I slowly made my way back to my barracks in the soiled underwear. I showered for so long…trying to cleanse the filth from me…

Showered for so long…washed every part of my body. So much blood and dirt went down the drain. The taste of vomit and blood still lingered in my mouth, no matter how much I washed out my mouth with water and brushed my teeth.

The smell of urine, my vomit, and whatever else still loitered in my nose.

I've seen so much death and pain before…at Helios One…at Bitter Springs…but I've _never _seen anything like at the First Battle of Hoover Dam…I couldn't…I wouldn't go through that again…

The blood…the death…the price was so high to pay for the Mojave…and it failed when that fucker ruined it all…

Why? Why? Kimball…may he burn in Hell forever. I couldn't…deal…I…

"NOO!" I screamed

I tried to move, but something was holding me down, something wouldn't let me move. I wrestled it while kicking and screaming. I pushed it off of me…I jumped up and kept screaming…

I didn't know how long I screamed. But when I finally stopped I felt a kiss on my cheek, and a warm embrace on my hands. I turned over to see Lisa, my loving wife.

I looked down at my sheets, which were torn and thrown around…that monster was just my bed sheets. She softly stroked my hair, "It's all right." She whispered in my ear

My dog, 'Milkshake' I called him due to his white coat, came up to me and gave me a lick on my other cheek. He placed his head on my lap as my wife held me uncontrollable shaking body.

Remember my consoling…remember my consoling…

I took a deep breath. After about an hour, I was under the blankets again. I held Milkshake close to me…Milkshake would protect me…

I tried to go to sleep…but I couldn't…

Oh god help me…forgive my soul…

I cringed. Even under these blankets I was freezing…then it was so hot…so stuffy…

I jumped out of my bed and walked into my bathroom. I turned on the shower to the freezing cold and stepped in. I didn't even take off my briefs or close the door, I just needed to get in here and calm down. My black hair stuck to my forehead.

I flung off my briefs and threw them in a random corner. I grabbed my body wash and poured an enormous amount in my hand…so much that it generously overflowed…

I began to scrub the wash on my chest, soaping up my chest hair, I cleaned the hair on my head and everywhere else…ugh…clean…clean…dirt and blood went down the drain. I shut my eyes…no…that wasn't happening…

I could taste that vomit and blood…no…I couldn't, I was just…the odor of urine was so strong, so heavy…No…there wasn't any urine I was smelling…I'm fine…just clean…clean away the filth…

I just stood there…allowing the subzero water to hit me. I just stood there…stroking the scar on my chest, a few centimeters above my left nipple. I hand went to my right earlobe, caressing my cut earlobe…

Eventually, my tears mixed with the water…

…Oh god help me…forgive my soul…


	8. Chapter 8

My muscles were sore as I slammed down the pickaxe. I smiled as I easily lifted the pickaxe and slammed it down with all my strength. I was completely right, I had only been here a month and I was as strong as an ox.

I wondered what was going on right now in the outside world. San Francisco was torn apart by riots and peacekeeper intervention. San Francisco was where the NCR had their Vertibirds stationed, I had only seen them twice or three times in my life, flying over Pendleton.

I turned behind me, past the gate several vehicles drove by…

Wang approached on the other side of the stone I was breaking, "So, you mind if we share?" He joked

I shook my head, "No, go ahead."

"Hey, man?" I asked him, "Where were you born?"

"New Reno," He replied simply, "before it was annexed by the NCR."

"Did you enjoy it there?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," He slammed down his pickaxe, "Hey, Will? Lemme ask you something…is it just me or…are there a lot more troops around here, now?"

I looked around, and I noticed he was correct. There must have at least been twice as many troops as there were yesterday. "Yeah…yeah, I think so."

Wang shrugged it off and continued to work, "So, Will, where were you born?"

"I was born in Arizona. Not sure exactly where, however."

"Wait. Arizona? Legion territory."

"Yeah. I guess."

"Damn. Do you remember the Legion as a child?"

I nodded, "A little. I remember seeing Legion troops patrolling the caravans. I was only born in Arizona, my parents ran a caravan all over the west. I went to a lot of places, NCR, New Vegas, Zion, and more."

"Well at least your life never got dull, you know? Always got to see a change of scenery."

"Yeah…I guess. But I always wanted a place to settle down, you know? I never really like going to new places a lot, I always just wanted to live in one place, make some friends."

"What about your parents?"

Shifted a little, this was always a touchy subject for me, "Uh…my mom died. She got poisoned…I really don't know how…"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry to hear that…. How old were you?"

"I was eleven…"

"And your dad?"

I sighed, "When I was fifteen…he…he…I don't know. One day when I was fifteen, I woke up one morning and he was gone…and all the caravan funds were gone as well…Did he run off and take the money? I don't know. Did he walk off, get killed, and someone came and stole the money? I don't know."

"I'm sorry to hear that…what did you do after?"

I remained silent, "I…I was wandered. I got some money and I made my way wandering…then I got in the NCR and just settled…"

"Where'd you get that money?"

"I…don't like talking about it…"

"I see…I didn't mean to be nosy."

"Nah, its fine. Maybe sometime later."

"Yeah, sure." Wang continued to slam down his pickaxe

"So, man." I asked, "Do you guys get to shower? Or wash your clothes or something?"

Wang turned to me, "What are you trying to say? Do we stink or something?"

I was about to apologize and correct my statement, but he simply smiled and laughed, "Actually, we get a shower once every two months. When our shower is over, they just have a ton of clean clothes around, so everyone just leaves their own and grabs some new clothes.

I like wearing the wife-beaters, you know? It's pretty easy for me to work in, because there's no sleeves to hinder my swinging, and it shows off my tattoos."

"Why do you even have so many?"

He laughed, "Honestly, if I could go back, I would tell myself not to get so many. I would have a few, but not this much. I got them when I was young, young and stupid and I thought they would look cool. Do you have any?"

"One." I simply responded, "On the right side of my chest, my mother's name, 'Rosemary'."

"Rosemary." He said aloud, "Doesn't that get you in trouble with some girlfriends? I mean, one girl sees that and she thinks Rosemary's your ex or something?"

I laughed, "That's happened a few time, actually. But they understand when I explain…well, most of them do."

Wang laughed, "So…you got a girlfriend? Wife or something?"

"Uh…kind of…not really…"

"Complicated?"

"…I guess…"

He nodded his head, "I understand."

I looked over to my left, about a few hundred feet away both Rick and Roger were working, slamming down their pickaxes. I threw my stones in the wheelbarrows and made my way to the stone depot. Walking past Rick, we both nodded, acknowledging each other, "What's up?" I asked him

He shook his head, "Nothing."

I put the stone in the depot, filling it up. I placed the wheelbarrow down and began to swipe the sweat off of my face. Rick poured his wheelbarrow down into the depot, "Man," I told him, "you've been here like, what? Two or three days here longer than me? How are you moving so fast?"

He chuckled, "I worked out a lot before I came here. I was enlisted in the NCR army, before Salazar came into office."

"Right, I remember. You were one of the ones to move into the Mojave? Right?"

He nodded, "We were the ones who fought the Legion at Hoover Dam, in the second battle. Then that Courier had to come and screw us all up with that damn robot army of his."

"Right," I said, I had heard the stories several times before

Over these last few months, Rick, Wang, Roger and I have talked. We've become a bit stronger, you know? I wouldn't consider them _friends _but I _would._

For example, I've learned that Wang has a great sense of humor and often enjoys poetry. He also enjoys looking and reading pre-war books about China, where his ancestors came from.

I've learned that Rick has been all over the United States. From California, to Texas, to all the way to Washington DC. And that he had attacked the peacekeepers when they tried to take his son, he also has a daughter that's ten.

And Roger was…quiet. He didn't like to talk much. He talked for a bit before quitting altogether. But I've managed to squeeze out of him that he used to be a caravan guard.

More trucks drove down the dirt road, behind the fences…in the outside world…


End file.
